


Dancing When The Stars Go Blue (Dancing Where The Evening Fell)

by owo (practise)



Category: Voltron: Defenders of Tomorrow, Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Gen, also lance leaves team vld cus he's not appreciated n i love him and he loves his family, also makin lance act white with his fam is a criminal offense, but i rlly wanted bi lance in this universe so :) bi lance!, closure for all the klance fans and happy established leakira :P, he plays guitar, i kno he can b bi w allura but she dont like him like that, it's just a fun slice of life type thing, it's just lance fluff cus dreamworks just doesn't deserve him, surfer lance bby
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-16
Updated: 2018-08-16
Packaged: 2019-06-28 08:33:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,411
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15703614
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/practise/pseuds/owo
Summary: Lance leaves the team feeling he's no longer needed and spends time with his family instead.I also didn't watch s7 n dont plan on it so every mention of events from s7 here is from the screencaps i saw on twitter xoxo





	Dancing When The Stars Go Blue (Dancing Where The Evening Fell)

**Author's Note:**

> not beta'd so if u come across any errors feel free to lmk

Lance reclined back on his bed, pulling out his mac trying to catch up on everything he’d missed in the past 3 years in space. The 20 minute reunion he had with his family wasn’t nearly enough for his liking if he’d had it his was he would’ve hugged them for 6 more hours but the car ride home felt peaceful the lax conversations about everyones lives, though he could feel the tension lurking whenever his mami stared at him for a little too long with her not-so-convincing smile. He knew he’d have to tell her soon that he has to go back but… Truthfully he didn’t know if he wanted to himself.

 

_They don’t need me. I’m always just an extra wheel._

 

He pushed down the thoughts of his teammates, ex-friends, calling him dumb or not defending him, feeling the tears welling in his eyes he urged himself not to think about it and typed in the password to his youtube account reminiscing about how personalized all the recommended videos had been 3 years ago when he was 17, all he’d hoped to do was get accepted to the garrison pilot program, then to make fighter class and he got it!

 

_But now it feels like that was a different persons dreams._

 

His recommended videos were filled with tourists videos shot at portrait mode of mammals breaching, different surfing styles tutorials, seaworld documentaries, miscellaneous shark encounters and every so often a video guide on any way to make him a better fighter pilot. He moved his cursor over to the more options for that video and selected ‘not interested’.

 

_Maybe I won’t go back. Maybe… I could do something else instead. I’m only 19 I can still change my mind, it’s not like I committed to being a paladin my whole life. Maybe… Hunk was right maybe I could pass the baton over to someone else, there are plenty of more experienced pilots at the garrison that would jump to be a paladin. I could become a vet or a lifeguard or a marine biologist or a pro-surfer or… whatever I want._

 

He thought about it, leaving his teammates, honestly he’d thought about it before on the castleship. Every time he’d felt homesick with no one to talk to, when Keith ran awa— left the team, how easy it would be to just get to earth and let that life be someone else’s problem. Those thoughts stopped for a while, briefly. When Allura brought him back from a brief death n she held his hand… He didn’t feel so useless, maybe he could stay with them on the team if she believed in him. If they were partners.

 

_I felt that way before. What Keith called the bonding moment and what I’d been calling it ever since in my head. Never out loud. When he held my hand and cradled me and I said I didn’t remember. I wish I didn’t need that time to process it back then, I wish I could’ve just accepted my feelings as being no different from what I felt for Allura but I can’t go back now._

 

He felt silent tears running down his face, he sniffed and muttered to himself, “Lord Tennyson was right maybe it would’ve been better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all, maybe this was my lesson.” Lance pulled down the long sleeves of his sweater, he’d grown an inch or two in space and it was pretty evident now that he was back in his old clothes, up to his eyes gently wiping away the tears. He continued contemplating and comparing Allura and Keith’s personalities, finding more similarities than differences at one point but Keith is different now.

 

_I mean we all are, but he’s just different towards me now; cruel._

 

He thought maybe since Keith came back from the blade they could go back to being friends or whatever they were just before he left. Lance’s mind was racing now, thinking back to the moment when Keith came back he’d wanted to hug him, he looked so different but he thought that it didn’t matter, that the same Keith, who’d saved his life again and again on missions and the Keith that he’d been the right hand man to for a brief— meaningful time, at least to him. But he brushed him off, pushed Lance off to the side which he understood, the mission comes first but… would’ve been nice. When Keith called him dumb or incapable like Pidge and Hunk often made him feel, his tears fell faster, his tear ducts working overtime to catch up with all the pain building up in his chest as if trying to offer some relief to no avail; he tried to wipe them off as they fell but they just kept rolling down, when Keith made him feel useless to the team, that probably hurt the most.

 

_Definitely._

 

He closed his mac realising he’d been staring at his reflection in the black screen since it went into sleep mode. He got up ducking into his bathroom swiftly as to not allow the wooden floor boards of the old house to wake anyone up. It must’ve been an exhausting day for his family, having to come to terms with his death for the past 3 years and then seeing him alive and walking, like a ghost or a zombie, looking in the mirror at his red and puffy eyes from his late night sob fest either one would be fitting. He huffed out a weak laugh under his breath. Washing his face and commencing his nightly routine.

 

As he flossed and brushed his teeth he walked back into his room looking around at his guitar sitting under the movie posters on the light blue walls: Jaws, Alien, Predator, Jurassic Park and The Most Dangerous Game. Classics. He smiled knowing that for everything that’s changed at least his taste in movies remained. His room was just as he’d left it, save for the floor being free of any clothes that may have been there prior, his mami probably took care of those, before leaving home to go back to the garrison the summer before mechanical lions and enlisting himself into a war happened. He walked out onto his balcony,he hated having a balcony in his room since it didn’t face the ocean but he took it when him and Maria were 9 years old and Maria had told him that she had nightmares about someone climbing the backyard’s tall tree and crawling over the tree branch, over the balcony’s railing and onto its deck, where he currently stood, and into the room during the night while she was sleeping. He refused at first, but when he saw the fear in his sisters eyes he yielded. Lance looked straight towards the sunset blue sky turning golden and then purplesque darkness following. He missed the sunsets...

 

He got into bed the softness of the sheets and bundling himself into his warm duvet. Suddenly, his body’s forgotten however long he’s been sleeping on the hard metal of the lion. He felt his back thanking him and exhaustion quickly talking over him as his eyes slid closed. He thought about the goodnights he got to say to his family hours prior and how he was able to hug each one of them. A smile washing over his lips.

 

“Leandro,” a soft feminine voice called out, shaking his shoulders. Lance immediately blinkedhis eyes opened, partly out of annoyance and partly due to the years he’d wondered if he’d every hear his sisters voice again.

 

Maria sat on his bed, warm morning light pouring through the blinds and onto part of her face.

 

“Maria, what time is it?” he asked rubbing his eyes, trying to pull his duvet over his head, still tired and longing for a small, manageable coma.

 

“It’s 7 am, don’t soldiers usually wake up at 0500 hours for their drills?” She inquired as she shifted to sit on Lance’s legs deliberately trying to push them as far into the mattress as they could go.

 

“I’m not a soldier, I’m a paladin. There’s a difference and— Ouch!” He shoved her off his legs and back onto the foot of the bed. “Jesus you’re so old for knowing military time and are you made of steel?!”

 

“I’m older than you by 2 hours so who are you really insulting?” She pat his legs twice and continued, “Now get up, I’m gonna take you out!”

 

Lance sits up, “Is everyone still here?” Maria nods. She shifts to the side of the bed next to him and wraps her arms around him engulfing him in a warm hug. He can feel her heart beat on his chest and she could probably feel his.

 

“I missed you so much, hermanito,” she says into his shoulder. Lance nods, hugging her back.

 

“Still the same age but I missed you too, hermana.” He felt drops of water on his shoulder but before he could say anything else Maria pulled back and wiped her eyes, smiling at him.

 

“Sorry,” she said sniffing, “enough of that, you need to get ready! Go! Change!”

 

Lance excitedly crawled out of his duvet and over to his dresser, “So, where to?”

 

“The beach, we thought being in space for 3 years would deteriorate your surfer skills so I’m taking this opportunity to see you wipe out,” Maria smiled, sticking her tongue out at him when Lance looked back at her in betrayal.

 

He grabbed his black wetsuit and navy blue rash guard tee shoving it into his duffle bag with his leash, surf wax and earplugs and ducked into the bathroom for his morning routine of brushing his teeth and washing his face coupled with moisturizer and sunscreen for the day, remembering to throw the sunscreen in the bag to reapply at the beach. He changed into a white tee and his favourite pair of swim shorts; light blue with The Great Wave Off Kanagawa running along the bottom of them.

 

He headed downstairs to meet Maria and the rest of his family but was first greeted by his niece who clung to his leg. “Morning, Tio!” she smiled up at him.

 

Lance reached down picking her up into his arms. “Morning, Princessa,” he replied kissing his forehead, “did you sleep well?” She nodded. Her big brown eyes glistening.

 

He rounded the corner, Ava still in his arms her hands fisting the back of his shirt, he saw his mami in the kitchen making breakfast along with his brothers sitting at the island. Memories of his elementary school days came flooding back to him, when his brothers were young and he was younger he’d always be the first to wake up and head to the kitchen to fulfill the roll as mami’s lil helper as his baby apron used to say. He gives Ava a tight squeeze and puts her gently on the ground, moving over to grab a plate of scrambled eggs, relishing the taste of actual human food for taste buds and he stayed quiet not wanting to disrupt the conversation going on between them but as he sat down at the kitchen island, on the seat next to Marco and Luis turned to him with grins and mouthfuls saying, “Morning, Leo!”

 

“You’re grown men! Swallow before you speak!” His mami scolded. They both looked sheepishly to their plates as she turned to Lance to give him a kiss on the cheek, “Good morning mijo!”

 

“Morning, Leandro or should I say Lance,” Veronica greets as she walks into the kitchen dressed to depart back to the garrison at any moment. She never understood why he introduced himself as Lance to everyone, it was just easier for ppl to not butcher Lance rather than Leandro, to Lance not having to explain why he preferred Lance to Leandro in public to Vero every single morning when she would ask ‘which do you prefer today Lance or Leandro?’ was one of the perks of being in a different galaxy.

 

“Either one is fine, Vero,” he rolled his eyes, as he scoffed down his food. His brothers cleared out from the table, touching his shoulder before disappearing into the living room.

 

“Leance then,” She stuck her tongue out at him, “why aren’t you dressed in your garrison uniform? What’s with the beach shorts?” frowning at the sight of his lack of a uniform.

 

“Maria is taking me out, so you’ll just have to take the red bayard back for me,” Lance shrugged his shoulders, not bothering to look up at her disapproving frown.

 

“Lance there are still galra fleets coming, Earth isn’t safe yet, and you’re going to— what?— Go to the beach and swim while the world’s on fire? When you could save it?” She wasn’t yelling her tone was filled with bewilderment.

 

“Veronica, I know there are people at the garrison more qualified than me, I’m 19 and if we do lose the war— if Earth loses then I don’t want to be in the middle of it, I just got home, I just want some more time at home… please,” the words came out the way he felt inside; worn out and empty on the subject.

 

“Alright, hermanito, but what about our sniper? What about the red lion?” Vero inquired and she gently nodded.

 

“Kinkade is a great sniper and I’m sure the team will adjust, they have Shiro,” he smiled weakly.

 

“Alright, I’ll let them know, where’s your bayard?” Lance finished up his breakfast and washed his plate in record time, feeling a strange cross between deflated and excited for new prospects.

 

“Hold on, it’s in my bedroom, I’ll run upstairs!” He exclaimed, kissing Vero on her cheek on his way out. Missing Veronica’s smile in favour of sprinting up the stairs in to his bedroom, grabbing his duffle bag and bayard and heading to Maria’s room where she was sprawled on her bed in her bikini top and swim shorts.

 

He knocks on the frame of the door, “You ready?”

 

“Hell yeah, lemme grab my bag and keys,” she moved off her bed stuffing her phone into her backpack. “I’ll meet you out front.”

 

“Sounds good,” he ran downstairs and place the bayard on the island table, next to where Vero sat, she put her phone down when she saw him enter, she nodded in acknowledgement silently and Lance took that as his cue to leave. He shouted bye to Ava and Kyle before he left.

 

The ride to the beach wasn’t long and in hindsight they could’ve just walked like they used to if it wasn’t for Maria’s excuse to brag about getting her license before him.

 

(“I’ve literally flown a mecha in outer space, I think the passing a drivers test won’t be a challenge,” he stated; tone hostile.

 

“Uh, I don’t know about that, have you ever parallel parked one of those things?” Lance scowled.)

 

(“I just realized you don’t have your phone,” she frowned, “what if you get lost.”

 

“Maria, I’m not 11 anymore I know how to get home by myself.”

 

“Remember, if you get lost at sea, hug a tree and wait for help.” Lance nodded at the questionable advice.)

 

Once his flip flops hit the sand as he was carrying his duffle bag out of the back of the jeep he felt the ocean breeze hit him like a mouth full of salt water. It never changed. Though Venice beach was as crowded as it should be on a weekday at 8 am, they found their own little spot that felt like his little slice of paradise in the world.

 

_In the universe._ _Of course it was no Varadero but it was his beach away for home._

 

It was right near his surf shop filled where he’d spent eons schmoozing the staff to get free rentals on the surfboards. By staff, he meant Isabella and her older brother, Michael, he wondered if they still worked there.

 

_Probably not, it’s been 3 years._

 

They entered the surf shop and Lance couldn’t stop his eyes from wandering, it looked so different on the inside there was a major paint job done and some of his favourite surf boards on the walls, replace with newer looking models.

 

Maria walked up to the front desk not interrupting Lance’s curiosity at everything. Lance caught up to her when Michael looked up from his phone glossing over Maria and looking Lance up and down.

 

“Lance?” Michael asked, removing himself from behind the counter to give him a hug. Lance remembered him being tall, like 6’3” but now he had the muscle to even him out more. He wrapped Lance up in a hug and lifted him off the ground a few inches. “What are you doing here ? Wait don’t tell me this is an emotional roller coaster. First I see your missing person posters for years and then I see you on the news as one of the people fighting off aliens in space, I can’t believethe little boy who I taught to surf was catching waves in space,” he laughed.

 

“Well, not really…” Lance replied awkwardly, his cheeks growing red from embarrassment, moving his arm to rub at the back of his neck. “Uh… Is Isabella still here?”

 

“Yeah! Well, not really she has college and only works part time but you’ll definitely be seeing her one of these days! I’m gonna go get your boards.” Michael smiled at Lance a last time before glancing to Maria and ducking into the back.

 

“I don’t remember him being that… peppy,” Lance whispered to Maria.

 

“He’s just happy to see you Lance we all are, you know,” she continued lowly, “for a while there we thought you were ever coming back.” 

 

“Me too.” He nodded.

 

They went to change into their wetsuits, by the time Lance was done Maria had already been at the waiting area, in her purple wetsuit with he curly brown hair pulled back into a bun with her board and his in hand and her backpack.

 

“Ready to get wiped out, Leandro?”

 

“I hope you’re ready to eat those words.” He replied taking carrying his duffle bag close behind and grabbing his surfboard form her hands.

 

“Thanks, Michael” they both yelled in unison, running out of the shop, missing Michael’s wave goodbye.

 

They stopped short of the ocean and got ready equipping themselves with the surfing wax, rash guard and ear plugs, securing their leashes. Lance sat in the sand waiting for Maria, looking out towards the horizon, the breeze was favourable, the waves looking inviting.

 

Maria caught him staring, “Looks like a clean surf, don’t you think?” applying her sunscreen.

 

“Yeah, it’s beautiful.” Lance smiled, smile soon turning into a grin, “Can't wait for you to taste the water.” He grabbed his surfboard, ran into the arms of the sea and began to paddle. Maria not far behind.

 

Lance may have wiped out (barely) on the first wave he caught doing an off-the-lip, but he got his groove back as soon as the breeze picked up. Remembering all his footing and maneuvers, he silently thanked biology for the science of muscle memory or god whichever one came first. Maria did amazing when it came to surfing, lacking the finesse for the tricks. Lance always thought the tricks were the best part of surfing, sure gliding along the water made him feel things he’s never felt out of it but being able to become one with the water and maneuver through it at will was… gnarly.

 

They were out there for hours Lance stopped briefly to reapply sunscreen but got right back into tail slides and cutbacks.

 

When noon rolled around they took a long break opting to get out of the cruel heat and decided to go eat something until it cooled back down.

 

They ended up at their used to be, go to snack joint, ordering their usuals, fish and chips for Maria and a burger (no mayo and no pickles) and fries for Lance, accompanied by 2 strawberry banana milkshakes. He brushed a hand over his hair and could already feel the curls starting to form as his damp hair began to dry and Maria’s wet hair still held secure in a ponytail.

 

“So, Leandro, did you come back from space with an alien girlfriend or not? Vero talks,” Maria demanded, “and if I barely understand what you’ve been doing for 3 years in a war then I want all the details on your personal life sans the war.” She popped a couple fries into her mouth waiting for his reply.

 

He took a bite of his burger, unsure of what to say, in truth he didn’t know how he felt about Allura anymore let alone knowing Allura’s feelings for him.

 

“I just— it’s complicated, Allura is the alien girl Vero was talking about and, it’s complicated…” Lance watched as his sister squinted her eyes at him, “we were in space when I liked her and now we’re on earth and…” He stopped there, not knowing where his words were taking him.

 

“And you don’t know if you still like her?” Maria chimed in, more so to fill in the blanks, as she kept guessing, “was she the only girl in space and your alpha male instincts went into overdrive to procreate?” she joked, “or when you came back you saw how does the saying go? Plenty of fish in the sea?”

 

“No to all of those things, I just— I just need to talk to her. Sort this out, I don’t know if she likes me or if she’s just being nice to be a good friend,” Lance said picking at his fries, “I don’t know it seemed as though she didn’t like me all that much a few months ago when she was kissing some other guy… or maybe even before that,” he looked down at his plate burger gone only miscellaneous fries scattering the bottom.

 

“Leandro Penelope Ramirez—”

 

“That’s not my middle name.” Maria shushed him.

 

“You are no one’s second choice, you’re not even my second choice for favourite twin and there’s only two of us. If you think Allura is picking you as a consolation prize or a rebound or whatever then… you don’t deserve to feel like that. Okay?”

 

Lance smiled at his sister, missing the validation he didn’t know he’d so desperately needed. “Yes, hermana,” in that moment he just really wanted to hug her, “and for the record, I’d pick you first between the two of us.”

 

Maria laughed, “Glad we got that settled now, all we have to know is what we’re picking each other for exactly.”

 

They walked around the beach for a while and even venturing into the shallow parts of the shore. A golden retriever looked distressed not much further out so he swam over to try and calm it down, it’s arms paddled in the water trying to stay a float. the dog seemed tired but still looking curiously at the people or maybe for a specific person, the dog pounced onto Lance less so in a tackle and more in a hug licking his face, Maria swam over to see the commotion, “I see you’ve made a friend,” she giggled.

 

“Rex!” a guy called out he looked maybe slightly taller than Lance, tanned, toned, only wearing black swim shorts and he’d looked like he’d been in the water a couple hours prior as evident by his damp blonde hair pulled back, approaching Lance, Maria and their new friend. The dog looked up at him still attached to Lance, now wagging his tail with enough force to splash Maria in the face. Lance snickered at that to which he earned himself a splash in the face from her. The guy stopped, staring between Lance and Maria.

 

Lance realizes he’s waiting and jolts, “Oh, right, sorry, your dog…” Lance struggled to detach himself from the dog—Rex on his wetsuit gently in fear of its nails ripping through the fabric and trying to avoid the whines from Rex.

 

“Uh, maybe you could just walk with me back to shore?” the guy suggested shyly

 

“Yeah… That’s cool with me.” Lance replied as Rex clung tighter to his shoulder like he was a raft after a shipwreck.

 

Maria looked at Lance with a suspicious expression before opting out, turning back to the guy and said, “Actually I think I’ll stick around here for a while why don’t you guys go on ahead.”

 

And they do but not before Lance shoots a betrayal-filled scowl her way.

 

“I’m Jake, are you from around here?” He asked, scratching Rex on top of the head.

 

“Leandro and yeah I live around here,” he replied trying to act nonchalant as if his heart beat wasn’t going a steady 200 beats per minute. “I’d shake your hand but I think your dog is kind of possessive.”

 

Jake laughed. “Yeah sorry about that, he’s not usually this way with strangers,” continuing to pet Rex’s damp fur.

 

“Maybe you should take him to a vet, if something seems off with the little guy,” Lance shrugged, frowning at the idea that something might be wrong.

 

“Yeah I’ll definitely do that, who was that girl you were with? If you don’t mind my asking,”

 

“Maria? I wouldn’t mind you asking if I knew why,” he replied cheekily hoisting up the dog in his arms.

 

“Well, if you must know, maybe it’s my way of guessing if you’re single or not,” He smiled suavely.

 

“She’s my sister.” Lance answered.

 

“That makes sense,” Jake looked stunned for a brief second there, “but I still don’t know the answer to that question.”

 

“I am, actually,” Lance smiled humbly, still processing all his thoughts on romance and people but now without the war and death looming over his vision, he felt like these thoughts were a second chance at a normal life, sure he loved being a hero or just a paladin but this felt different from that in a good way. “Uh, since you’re asking me if I’m single… You don’t have to answer but are you into guys?” he tried keeping a calm tone, which unfortunately the waves surrounding them made it feel loud and hasty.

 

“I am, yeah, well more of just the one guy right now,” he smirked still looking at Lance. Lance was sure that all the water in the sea surrounding them turned boiling hot and that was the reason his whole body felt like it was on fire and his face was stupid red.

 

They made their way back to the shore as Rex finally let go of his Uber, Lance placing him gently on the sand, “Before you go,” Jake spoke up, hands in his pockets nervously, “I left my phone at my spot and I don’t want to risk losing you to the crowd, maybe you could come back to my umbrella?”

 

Lance giggled at the anxiety in his voice, “Isn’t that a bit soon? We haven’t even had our first date yet.” To which Jake smiled, removing his hands from his pockets, and using one of his newly freed hands to latch onto Lance’s as Rex ran well ahead of them already on the way to their spot on the beach, surrounded by holes and piles of sand to accompany them, all made by presumably one clingy dog.

 

A red blanket laid in the sand where he went to go rummage through his bag for his phone, Lance standing awkwardly, looking at the red matching towel.

 

_Is this fate?_

 

Another aspect of post-paladin life Lance was newly grateful for was no more colour symbolism. He smiled to himself as Jake walked toward him with his phone at hand and a sharpie marker in the other. He entered Maria’s number instead of his own which he didn’t know if it survived space travel or not quite yet, he’d tell Jake later.

 

“May I?” Jake asked reaching for his right arm. Lance nodded and he went a head scribbling his name and number on the inside of his wrist, separating the two with a tiny heart in the middle in lieu of a hyphen. He held Lance’s hand a moment more in the same position.

 

“I hope that doesn’t wash away,” Lance smiled.

 

“Well, I guess we’ll just have to call each other soon then,” Jake replied returning the same grin.

 

Lance headed back to his spot on the beach, not before petting Rex one last time and saying goodbye to Jake, Maria sat there next to the duffle bags, towel around her shoulder, scrolling through her phone. Lance took a seat next to her.

 

“So, how did it go?” She asked curiously, putting away her phone.

 

“How did what go I just returned his dog…” Lance smirked.

 

“Leandro, you can’t fool me, the tension was so dense it was like a block of cheese,” she deadpanned.

 

“Well, he gave me his number and I gave him yours for convenience,” He giggled looking at the black marker on his wrist.

 

“So does that mean you like boys now or…”

 

“I don’t know what it means, I know I still like girls and I think I can like both without it getting too confusing. Hopefully,” He beamed at her hand gently rubbing the name on his wrist.

 

“I’ll always support you, hermano,” she shifted to hug him, “no matter what. I know everyone else will too, but you’ll always have me first.”

 

Lance squeezed her tightly until he heard her a wheeze escape her. He pulled back looking at their surfboards behind them.

 

“I liked a boy before, at least I think I did…” Lance confided.

 

“Where in space? Was he an alien?”

 

“Half,” he chuckled, “He was sweet at first and we bickered or fought, whatever you want to call it, we did it a lot, I don’t think it meant anything though at least not to me, it was playful, I even kinda thought we were friends for a while. Then he left and I felt like there was a void inside me for a while there. Later he came back, but it was different, he didn’t see me as a friend anymore, at least I don’t think he did or if he ever did…” Lance sounded defeated, like he was reciting the saddest love story out loud from memory.”

 

“I love you, baby brother and you’ll find someone who deserves you, I know you will.” She said determinedlike she would build the perfect person specifically for him if she had to.

 

“I’m kinda tired, and it’s only 3 pm, wanna head back home?” Maria asked

 

Lance nodded in agreement and they rinsed themselves off changing back into his swim shorts and white tee and out of his wetsuit at the beach and headed back to return the surfboards, duffle bags in hand. He got caught up on all the new music on the drive home.

 

“You go on ahead, I’ll bring your duffle bag to your room,” Maria shooed him away.

 

Lance ran a hand through his still damp, curlier hair, he’d have to straighten it out soon. Entering the door to his house and making a b-line up the staircase when he heard a throat clear, he walked backwards down the stairs and into the living room, wondering if his mami was calling him. He saw tuffs of white hair contrasting the dark complexion and the garrison uniform.

 

“Allura?” He questioned, disbelievingly.

 

His mami fleeing the room with nothing but a, “I’ll leave you two to talk.”

 

Allura looked him up and down, “Lance. Veronica brought the red bayard back to the garrison. I haven’t told the rest of the team yet, in hopes that I can change your mind.”

 

Lance sighed, “Is that all?”

 

“No… She also said you retired. That you’re no longer part of the team. You don’t make that decision, Lance, not when the fate of the universe is at stake,” She rebuked. He could tell she tried her best not to yell but her tone was scary enough.

 

“So what? You came here to convince me to come back? I’m not interested in fighting anymore, you have enough people for that. You’ll find someone to pilot red. I know you will and for the time being Keith can step in. The team doesn’t need me and I’ve been feeling pretty useless lately anyway. I just wanna be here with my family.” Lance tried explaining calm but he just felt defeated.

 

“Is this the last time we’ll ever see each other?” She looked at him, understanding and sadness filling her eyes.

 

“That depends how the whole alien invasion ends for Earth but maybe…” He smiled leaning an inch down to hug her. Allura returned the hug. “Could I ask you something before you go?”

 

“Sure.”

 

“Did you ever… like me, like you did Lotor?” Lance asked an air of hope, hope for what he didn’t know.

 

“Lance, you’ve always been special to me and you’ll always be, your flirting is ridiculous but it made me laugh and you’re incredibly charming and enduring. When you unlocked my fathers sword with your bayard, I said you have greatness within and I truly meant it. But I don’t think we’re right for each other romantically and I know you’ll find someone who is one day. I’m sure the universe would never let you end up alone no matter what you believe at this moment.” She smiled glancing to the heart on his wrist.

 

Lance suddenly felt embarrassed, feeling the blood rush to his cheeks, “thanks, ‘lura, for the speech and the empathy also the resurrection.”

 

“The resurrection was on the house but now I just have to find out how to tell the team. I just know they won’t take it well.” Allura sighed. “Not that I am.”

 

“I’m sure they’ll be fine, Allura, they have bigger things to worry about, they probably won’t even notice,” he tried to make his accompanied laugh sound real but it just seemed deflated. “You should probably head back if you wanna get there before dark.”

 

“I got here in Blue, would you like to say goodbye?” Lance perked up running to the backyard behind Allura, Blue was cloaked but there, he could still feel her energy.

 

_Blue, you started it all. Thank you._

 

He thought as he place his hand on one of her paws. He instantly heard a deep purr pass through him, the ground gently rumbled.

 

_It’s been a blast, beautiful. Take care of them for me._

 

He smiled. He couldn’t go in. He couldn’t entirely assure himself that tears wouldn’t fill his eyes so he just waved Allura off and headed to his room, passing Maria on her way back in. She left him alone to think for a while.

 

He glanced over at his clock, it was only 5 pm, picking up his guitar he tried to remember the chords to any song he felt like, the first one that came to mind was Blue by Marina and the Diamonds.

 

_Ironic._

 

He sang a bit, silently, his voice only barely reaching the walls of his room. He stopped after some time, glancing over to the number on his wrist, he grabbed his polaroid camera and took a quick shot of the numbers, the name and the heart. Shaking the polaroid picture for good measure. He doesn’t think he’s ever thought about boys this way, he’s kind of scared of what former Lance would’ve done if a guy just asked for his number. He knows he’d never be homophobic and he didn’t grow up with that mindset but… he’s just more different now.

 

His heartbeat felt different he was more excited. He’d gotten closure from Allura and now he could move on to new prospects.

 

_Closure from Allura, but not from Keith…_

 

He knows there was nothing going on there but he would’ve liked the chance to talk about it. Whatever it was.

 

He left his guitar leaning back onto the wall, on his way to Vero’s room only to find out she wasn’t back from the garrison yet so he headed to Luis’ room to find Ava and Kyle. He spent time with his niece and nephew in his room, braiding Ava’s short hair into a crown to the best of his abilities, they played in the backyard for a while pushing Kyle and Ava on the swing set. Until it started to drizzle and he threw both of them over his shoulders and ran inside the house before they got a chance to fall sick. His mami made them hot chocolate, which he missed. A lot. Maria joined in and then Luis and then Marco. Vero still at the garrison

 

He fell asleep on the couch, talking to everyone and catching up there were so many questions flying around the room. When he woke up at 2 am he untangled himself from Maria’s grasp, shifting Ava’s head to the side gently off his lap. He tip-toed around the sleeping bodies in the living room and the empty mugs hours ago filled with hot cocoa he pulled a blanket from that was on his chest over Ava, just in case and headed up to his room for his nightly routine after that he slept soundly alone in his bed not before locking his balcony door.

 

The next morning, he woke up at 9 am and commenced the same morning routine, eating breakfast, prepared to go back to the beach with all his siblings and niblings.

 

(“So Leandro, did you call that Jake from the beach up yet?” Marco asked, snickering.

 

“He did wake up in the middle of the night and run up to his room.” Luis chimed in wiggling his eyebrows. “You know, sharpie doesn’t last forever…”

 

“If he wanted to he would’ve called. I gave him Maria’s number,” Lance stated, slightly annoyed at the teasing. Maria nodded checking her phone seeing no notifications.

 

“Well, then maybe you should make the first move, cowboy,” Marco suggested when he saw his brother’s disappointed face.)

 

They spent all day at the beach coming back home at 5 pm, the water had been warm at noon and grew progressively colder, Lance had only been back 2 days but theses felt like the 2 happiest days of his life. He headed upstairs to shower, throwing his wetsuit and beach wear in the laundry basket. He came out to a his dark bedroom turning the lap, the room glimmered golden filling with light. He let his hair air dry, it would be curly but he’d probably go to the beach tomorrow so there was no use straightening it. He put on his briefs and a thin white tee that clung to his damp skin.

 

He laid down on his bed with Maria’s phone and the polaroid photo of his wrist and contemplated calling him… He stared at the phone, waiting for it to ring, maybe in hopes that he wouldn’t have to be the one to call… what would he even say…

 

_Did you take Rex to the vet yet? Is he OK?_

 

He practiced a bit out loud, he really resulted to talking to himself, “Hey Jake, it’s Lance! I hoped Rex was doing well, you didn’t call so,” the phone pressed against his ear, finally dialling in his number before he changed his mind, he walked around the room, waiting for an answer until he heard thumps coming from his balcony window.

 

He opened the balcony door being greeted by what little light was left as the sun started to disappear completely under the horizon as well as dodging a rock being pelted at him. He looked down to find the source of it.

 

“Keith?!” Lance leaned agains the balcony railing dismayed. He still dressed in his garrison uniform, from what Lance could make out he looked exhausted and sweaty.

 

“Lance,” he whispered back, “could I maybe come in, I know it’s late but I just didn’t want to wake anyone…” he sounded shy to Lance, maybe because he was never used to or never imagined seeing him interact somewhere so out of his element.

 

“Uh… sure, I’ll be down in a second.” Lance answered, baffled.

 

“No, it’s alright I could just climb up,” he said nonchalantly as he began scaling the tree in his backyard. Lance took a couple minutes to process what was happening, Keith was climbing up to his balcony Romeo and Juliet style, his palms got sweaty at the thought of that. Lance made room for him on the balcony deck by moving a couple steps inside his bedroom, he hadn’t noticed how cold it was outside and then he remembered he was still in his briefs. He grabbed his grey sweatpants from his dresser and jumped into them as fast as possible by the time he turned around Keith was standing on the deck looking anywhere but Lance it’d seemed.

 

Keith barged into his room and stood there waiting for Lance to do something, Lance was aboutto say something when Keith spoke. “Allura told us you left the team today. God, you’re so selfish Lance, the fate of the universe, Earth is in jeopardy and you what? You want a vacation?” he was seething at the mouth.

 

Lance remained calmly taking the blows, moving to sit on his bed, “Is that all you came here to say?”

 

“No! I’m so furious, ever since Allura told us the news, I just wanted to come here and yell at you, but I couldn’t leave because there are decisions that have to be made and battle strategies and I just had to wait it out ’til dark,” He grunted, “and you went to Allura first instead of the leader of the team? The black paladin? Me? I don’t know what to do with you, you’re just so much to deal with.” He was pacing back and forth, Lance just watched as Keith tried to cool himself off, he could hear him trying to level his breathing.

 

He’s an instigator at heart though and opened his mouth, “Well I guess it’s a good thing you don’t have to deal with me anymore!”

 

“You know that’s not what I meant.” Keith spoke more calmly this time. “Your room looks different than what I’d imagined… cleaner,”

 

“You’ve imagined my room?” Lance narrowed his eyes at him. “Well, I’ve been gone for 3 years no one there to make a mess…” He laughed.

 

“You play guitar?” Keith asked walking over to his acoustic guitar leaning on the wall.

 

“Yeah, I picked it up pretty early as a kid,” Lance answered, half-wondering where this conversation was heading.

 

“What are we gonna do without our sharpshooter?” Keith asked, broken, taking a seat on Lance’s bed next to him.

 

“Kinkade is a great shot and I’m sure he won’t miss…” Lance rolled his eyes, thinking back to a stupid memory that made him feel worthless again. Ugh!

 

Keith looked at hit a squinted then his eyes widened in realization, “I didn’t mean that when I said it. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to imply you were stupid back at the game show either or that I wouldn’t want to spend an eternity with you back there… You’re like the most interesting person I know, of course I would. I was just—”

 

Lance’s phone buzzed between them on the bed a notification popping up onto the brightly lit white screen. Lance picked up his phone reading the message.

 

(213) 934-2344: Hey Leandro! It’s Jake sorry I didn’t pick up i didn’t have my phone on me. It’s pretty late now tho i’ll call you tomorrow and we can talk about that date. Sweet dreams <3

 

Lance swiftly replied with an ‘alright sweet dreams’ followed by a smily face and giggled though he stopped abruptly realising Keith was still in the room with him.

 

“Sorry,” he muttered, throwing his phone onto his pillow, “listen it’s getting pretty late—”

 

“Who’s Leandro?”

 

“It’s my birth name, Lance is just a nickname,” he answered and continued, “maybe you should g—”

 

“I didn’t know that about you,” Keith sighed, biting his bottom lip, “i’m sorry.”

 

“You don’t need to be, I just introduce myself as Lance to everyone, easier on the tongue,” he smiled.

 

“Well, Jake seems to know you as Leandro so,” Keith replied snarky as ever.

 

“I’m kind of tired Keith, maybe you should head back…” Lance suggested sadly. He really was exhausted. He got up from the bed but before he could stand Keith caught onto his wrist.

 

“Wait. I’m sorry about the way I’ve been towards you lately… Since I came back from the blade. Wh-When I messaged the castle, I saw you and Allura, really close and I-I got jealous. I didn’t mean to take it out on you.” Keith rubbed his thumb back and forth on Lance’s wrist.

 

Lance looked back at him quizzically, “Keith, Allura and I aren’t together, I don’t know if she likes you but I got my closure. I’ve moved on. There’s no need to be jealous.”

 

Keith scrunched his eyebrows so far down his face, a scowl plastered on his lips now. “I wasn’t jealous of you, dummy, I was—” he mumbled the last bit. Lance still not believing his own ears.

 

“You were what?” Lance tries to clarify.

 

“Are you really going to make me say it again? I was jealous of her! Okay? You’re so annoying!”Keith pulling Lance back onto the bed and grabbing his pillow to scream into it.

 

“Not the nicest thing to say to a guy you like,” Lance replies laughing. Keith placed his hand onto Lance’s abdomen.

 

“What could I tell you to get you to stay?” Thumb rubbing the fabric of Lance’s shirt ever so slightly up and down his torso.

 

“Probably nothing, Keith, I meant what I said on that game show, you are the future, not just in your genetic make-up, I have a feeling that you’re going to rule a kingdom someday.” He smiled up at him. Placing his hand on Keith’s, “In another life or alternate universe we might’ve been together and definitely would have the cutest babies ever,” Lance chuckled, seeing a sad smile form on Keith’s face. “But I think we’re just too different for this one.” He let go of Keith’s hand and sat back in an upright position.

 

Tears welled in their eyes.

 

_The universe is so cruel sometimes._

 

“I’m sorry about what I said when we were floating out into space, you didn’t run away from the team-”

 

“I did and I deserved it.” Keith said, sad, eyeing Lance’s hand that was on his a moment ago. “I never did give you that reunion hug… the one you wanted right after you accused me of being a cooler, grizzled older brother,” he smirked.

 

Keith wrapped his arms around Lance’s torso, whispering in his ear, “May we meet again.”

 

Lance reciprocated, wrapping his arms around Keith comfortably, letting his hands cling to the back of Keith’s shirt as he felt water crawling down his cheeks and onto Keith shoulder at the same instance he felt the thin fabric of his white tee growing cold and wetness clinging to his skin along the shoulder area. Keith pulled back, placing a kiss onto Lance’s cheek, but it landed closer to his mouth. Neither one of them complained.

 

Lance placed his hand on the side of Keith’s cheek rubbing his thumb along the side of his scar. Keith at him, tears still streaming down his face around Lance’s thumb, Lance nodded, “May we meet again.”

 

He leaned forward, dropping a gentle kiss onto Keith’s lips, Keith closed his eyes but just as the lamp light was fully shut out of his eyes and he saw pitch darkness, they kiss was over, Lance had pulled back, sniffing his nose which grew increasingly red and wiping his own tears.

 

Lance pulled Keith in for a final hug, wrapping his arms around his neck and then Lance shifted to get off the bed and walked over to his bedroom door, Keith ignoring him in favour of the balcony door, Lance followed stoping abruptly as Keith turned around before he opened the door, “I’m coming back for you. After all this is over,” he gestured to his garrison uniform, “and I finally feel enough for you. I don’t know how long that’ll take and you don’t have to wait but it’ll happen. It has to and I’m coming back then I’ll learn everything there is to know about you.” Lance smiled at the confidence in his tone.

 

“Sure thing, Samurai,” Lance answered feigning belief that they would ever meet again. His gut told him this was a final goodbye. “Sweet dreams,” He muttered leaning his head against the door frame as Keith began to climb back down the tree. Lance watched him go, watched him stop briefly to wipe his own tears and saw him glance over his shoulder back at his house.

 

Maria was right to be scared of the balcony, but less so of silhouettes of strangers and more so of Romeos climbing up your tree and leaving you tear-streaked and wet droplets on the shoulder of his shirt.

 

_In another universe…_

 

Leandro hopped off the back of the slick, red motorcycle, detangling his arms from around his boyfriend’s waist. He removed his blue helmet, a sudden pang in his heart making him jump.

 

He felt a hand on his right shoulder holding him steady, “You alright, babe?” Akira asked.

 

“Yeah, I’m all good, It just felt like I was having a heart attack or something, it’s alright tho,” Leo took off Akira’s helmet just enough to kiss his cheek before letting it go again. “I’ll see you after class, thanks for the ride, Kiki.”

 

“Not this again,” Akira sighed, rolling his eyes.

 

Leandro danced across the parking lot singing loud enough for Akira, still parked out front, to hear, “Kiki, do you love me? Are you riding? Say you'll never ever leave from beside me ‘cause I want ya, and I need ya and I'm down for you always!”

 

Akira shook his head, smiling and staring up at the sky wondering how he’d gotten so lucky.

**Author's Note:**

> there's no adam/shiro mentioned here but they're alive and together being their best selves bc i say so mwah!


End file.
